Wenona Students Thrive on European Adventure
Over the holiday break, a group of Years 9 and 10 Italian Language students participated in the Wenona Italy Immersion. Our aim was to immerse them authentically in the language and culture and put their learning at school into practice.
We started our Immersion in Venice where we quickly adopted the Italian lifestyle, wandering along the canals and ordering our first gelati. We visited the nearby islands of Murano and Burano and toured St Mark’s Basilica and the Doge’s Palace. Of course, we couldn’t leave Venice without a gondola ride and a conversation with our gondoliers.
Next, we went to Florence, where we spent most of our time at school. The girls attended Italian language lessons, developing skills to communicate more confidently and fluently on a range of topics. Their teacher, Professoressa Barbara, was very impressed. We also visited two high schools in Florence where the students attended a variety of lessons, from Maths and English to Art History. The girls loved spending time with the Italian students, noting all the similarities and differences in school life, and forming great connections for future interactions. The Italian students were thrilled with their gifts of Wenona wombats! We also spent time wandering through the Uffizi Gallery and the Accademia Gallery to marvel at the beautiful artwork and statue of David, as well as walking along the River Arno. We even enjoyed a day trip to Siena and San Gimignano.
Our final stop was Rome where we really got our steps up and tackled the madness of the Metro. We visited all the famous sites of Rome including the Colosseum, Roman Forum and Trevi Fountain, and we explored the Vatican, in all its glory. Our day trip to Pompeii provided incredible insight into the ancient Romans and the way they lived before 79 AD.
The Immersion was a wonderful success! The students embraced every opportunity and took on every challenge with enthusiasm. Their language skills improved along the way; ordering pizza and pasta, using expressions to push through crowds, negotiating at market stalls, and chatting to Italian friends. It was a privilege to see them develop in confidence as the days progressed and be more and more willing to communicate in the language. We hope they continue to be motivated by their experiences and are inspired to keep working on their Italian skills.
Ms Lydia Bentivoglio
Head of Languages